Monthly Archives: October 2008

Looking Back: Matinee at the Bijou

Posted on October 29, 2008 by paul

One of the best things about Saturday afternoons* for a couple of blissful years in the early ’80s was the PBS series Matinee at the Bijou, which in my neck of the woods aired on NJN. A cartoon or two, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Rear-View Mirror, Television | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

This is Not America

Posted on October 28, 2008 by paul

If you’re reading this, you may not be an American. If you’re an Obama supporter, you most certainly–at least by some people’s reckoning–are not. And the top man on the Democratic presidential ticket? Nope, not an American either. Ignoring the … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Two Minutes' Hate | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Call it Democracy

Posted on October 26, 2008 by paul

The New York Daily News and the office of Mayor Michael Bloomberg are calling it a “victory for democracy;” this past Thursday (not for nothing are we called A Slight Delay), the New York City Council narrowly passed (29-22) a measure … Continue reading →

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Levi Stubbs, 1936-2008

Posted on October 18, 2008 by paul

Sometimes it’s one of a seemingly endless procession of anonymous R&B singers who confuse sounding weepy with being soulful; sometimes it’s Justin Timberlake’s dry white whine; sometimes it’s hearing the likes of Rod Stewart, Michael McDonald, or Michael Bolton (cursed … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Rated… huh?

Posted on October 6, 2008 by paul

Think of all the things invented to save time. Instant coffee. Jiffy Pop. TV Dinners, and then TV Dinners weren’t fast enough and we invented the microwave oven. Trailers, so you could carry your home around like a turtle. On … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Re-Make/Re-Model | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Old, Faithful

Posted on October 5, 2008 by paul

James, Hey Ma/Ben Folds, Way to Normal Sometimes it seems like I go through dry spells with books and music, where there isn’t much out that’s new that seems interesting. The most recent stuff that’s grabbed me, actually, has tended … Continue reading →

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Luis Alfredo Garcia-Roza: Blackout

Posted on October 4, 2008 by paul

If I were one of those people paid to write breathless accolades for things, I’d probably call Luis Alfredo Garcia-Roza’s Blackout, the latest installment in the Inspector Espinosa series, a “taut psychological thriller.” But I’m not one of those people, … Continue reading →

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Inspiration Index 8: Happy Accidents, Part 2

Posted on October 2, 2008 by paul

One side effect of the portable MP3 player: I don’t spend nearly as much time as I used to watching television with the sound turned all the way down and the stereo on. It’s a shame, really, because you can … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Television, The Inspiration Index | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment